The abuse of prescription pills is on the rise in the U.S. right now. In fact, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), around 18.9 million Americans aged 12 and older used prescription pills for non-medical purposes in the past year. Also, the number of babies born with opioid addiction is tripled over the past ten years. Furthermore, additional research has indicated that misuse of prescription pills is responsible for more deaths than car accidents and suicides. Therefore, it has become a large public health problem and can be frightening when you or someone you love starts showing signs of addiction to prescribed pills. Read on to begin learning more about how prescription pills can lead to addiction and what kind of prescription pills are commonly misused.
Prescription pills are often strong medications, which is why they need a doctor’s prescription. While taking the prescribed medicines provides relief from a serious illness for many patients, some people take more of the drug than prescribed due to the mind-altering and mood-altering effects that these pills provide.
Three kinds of prescription pills have a strong potential for misuse. Each has its unique properties that make them suitable for treating certain conditions, but they can also change the way the brain functions and that can lead quickly to addiction. If you become addicted to a prescribed pill, you may compulsively use it, even when it causes you harm. Following are some commonly abused prescription pills:
Opioids
Opioids are pain-relieving drugs naturally found in the opium poppy plant. They are effective medications when taken as prescribed by doctors or healthcare providers, but if you don’t use them correctly, they can easily cause physical and mental dependence. In 2018, 128 people in the United States die from opioid overdoses every day. The most commonly prescribed opioids are:
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants are a group of drugs that fall into the tranquilizer, sedative, and hypnotic categories. Doctors prescribe them to treat panic, anxiety, and sleep disorders including insomnia. They affect a chemical in your brain called GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). GABA slows down the brain’s activity, making you feel calm and sleepy. These are some of the most common CNS depressants:
Stimulants are a broad group of drugs that provides temporary improvements in physical or mental functioning, Doctors usually prescribe stimulants to treat depression, narcolepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Around 16 million adults in the U.S. take stimulants with approximately 5 million having misused a prescription at least once. In the United States, around 16 million adults use stimulants, with about 5 million of them having misused a prescription at least once.
Here are some of the most commonly prescribed stimulants :
When individuals are addicted to prescription drugs, the signs and symptoms of addiction can depend on the pills involved that they are consuming. Some of the most common include:
| Opioids | CNS Depressants | Stimulants |
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While it’s not always easy to help someone with a pill addiction because it’s a disease that changes the individual’s thoughts, attitudes and behaviours. It’s incredibly difficult to overcome, but it is possible and a person addicted to pills can return to a productive life. If you suspect your child or someone you love may be using or abusing prescription or non-prescription pills, there are some steps you can take.
One of the first ways to help someone with a pill addiction is to educate yourself and learn as much about addiction and pills as you can. Learning more about addiction and the different properties of specific pills can help you gain a clearer understanding of the changes that are causing your loved one’s altered behaviours.
In drug abuse cases, an honest conversation about pill addiction and its consequences can help the addicted individual to change since they still have control over their behaviour. Whenever possible, share information with a person in a collaborative format, rather than in a manner that feels like you’re forcing a person what to do. Also, information will help them to understand all the psychological, social, legal, mental, and spiritual repercussions of pill abuse.
Also, you can encourage them to contact a mental health specialist or an addiction treatment center who can help your loved ones to understand the best next steps to take.
Like any other chronic disease, pill addiction can be treated effectively. Getting the right treatment will help you get your loved one the support they need to overcome this terrible addiction.
Contact us now at 877.506.2877. If you need help finding the right place for you to get treatment, Connect to Treatment can help. We are a free and confidential service that can help you find the right place for you based on your health insurance and what type of care you need.
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